Shannon Lee Simmons: Worry-Free Money

If you’re anything like me, you wish someone could make it easy for you to pay off student loans, save for a down payment, and still have something left over for a little fun (like maybe a beach vacation with your favourite books).  

This is where Shannon Lee Simmons comes in. She’s written two best-selling books on exactly that—how to manage your money, live debt-free, and have fun doing it.  

We’re looking forward to having Shannon Lee Simmons here at the library to talk about her guilt-free, empowering approach to money management. While we wait for her to arrive, we asked her to share some of her favourite reads, and tell us why she recommends them:  

1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood  

I read this book when I was 19 years old, and it terrified me. It made me realize that our freedoms could be taken at any point and that we must always be vigilant to maintain our democracy and freedoms. 

2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon  

I skipped part of frosh week in second year university to finish reading this book. The ultimate romantic adventure story and I’m a big sucker for that.  

3. The Telling of Lies by Timothy Findley  

I think Timothy Findley is a Canadian gem. This was my introduction to his writing. I read it at the beach (it’s a mystery set on at a beach house) and was riveted by every page.  

4. Island Girl by Lynda Simmons (my mom!) 

My mom writes fiction. This is an amazing book set on the Toronto Island. While she wrote it, she lived on the island and I visited her there often. It gave me a deep love of the unique lifestyle there and I fell in love with it. I also read each draft of this book as she wrote it and I was so wowed by my mom’s talent.

If you’d like to read one of Shannon’s books, we’ve got plenty of copies in our collection, along with some of our favourite recommendations to help you manage your money like a boss.  

Attend Shannon Lee Simmons' talk on Jan 23.

Courtney - Community Engagement